The image quality of image data generated by a digital still camera (DSC), digital video camera (DVC), scanner or the like can be arbitrarily adjusted using an image retouching application on a personal computer. In general, an image retouching application is provided with an image adjustment function for automatically adjusting the image quality of image data, and by using this image adjustment function, the image quality of image data outputted by an output device can be easily improved. Output devices for image files that are known include, for example, a CRT, LCD, printer, projector and television receiver.
Printer drivers for controlling the movement of a printer, which is an output device, are also provided with a function for automatically adjusting the image quality of image data, and by using such a printer driver as well, the image quality of printed image data can be easily improved.
Nevertheless, the automatic adjustment of image quality by an image retouching application and the automatic adjustment of image quality by a printer driver are generally run independently from each other when they process. Thus, the image quality of image data which had already undergone automatic adjustment by an image retouching application, for example, would sometimes be automatically corrected again by a printer driver. In such cases, the automatic adjustment by the printer driver of the image quality of image data whose image quality had already been adjusted sometimes caused a loss in image quality instead. In particular, in the automatic adjustment processing of image quality in conjunction with image data analysis, there was the problem that the image data whose image quality had already been corrected was believed to have been the original image data, so suitable image quality adjustment could not be carried out.
Further, if standardization processing of the image quality (correction processing to a standard image quality) of image data on which image quality adjustment processing has already been carried out by one image processing device, not limited to the relationship of a retouching application and a printer driver, is carried out by some other image processing device, not only will the image quality adjustment carried out by the first image processing device be reflected in the outputted image, but this may invite a drop in the image quality.